Running Script Calligraphy c. 16th century

Wen Zhengming made this ‘Running Script Calligraphy’ artwork on paper in the 16th century. Calligraphy was very important in Chinese culture. It was more than just beautiful writing. It was considered one of the highest forms of art, on par with painting. In Ming Dynasty China, calligraphy served to reinforce social hierarchies. Mastery of calligraphy was a sign of education and good breeding, a way to signal status in a society that valued tradition and learning. The elite used calligraphy to express their refined tastes and cultural sophistication. This was a way of setting themselves apart from the lower classes. Wen Zhengming, being a scholar-artist, would have understood these social implications. He was part of a literati culture that saw art as a way to express personal feelings. Studying the lives of scholar-artists and looking at historical texts can tell us a great deal about how the production and reception of art is contingent on social context.